The Miniature France Inside France

In a small suburb an hour west of Paris, there is a park shaped exactly like a miniature France. But why is it there? Who let a bunch of geography nerds build a park? I went out into the wild western suburbs to find out more...
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[@Lioness99a]

If there isn’t a mini version of France Miniature within France Miniature then I will be very disappointed! 😂

[@thetwistedsock3253]

I was thinking the same 😊

[@adrien5568]

Unfortunately no, Versailles, which is at 10km of it, takes its spot.

[@imightbebiased9311]

@@adrien5568 *shakes miniature fist in rage*

[@100dampf]

Always remember the second rule of model railways!

[@yetzt]

you beat me to it. there needs to be modelception happening.

[@Kenionatus]

"The beautiful island of Corsica is represented by a lump of mud in a pond." is such a powerful dig at the politics of geography displayed in the park.

[@CallieMasters5000]

At least it's in mud. The entire city of Nice is missing!

[@PineappleSkip]

@@CallieMasters5000Well, that’s not Nice

[@stepheneyles2198]

@@PineappleSkip *boom boom* as Basil Brush would say!!

[@joehoe222]

*Angry Napoleon murmur noises.

[@bertilhatt]

They had something, but… It got disappeared. There was a loud bang, and that’s it. Nothing suspicious. Go back to sleep.

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

There's a mini-Indonesia inside Indonesia as well, but sadly without the scaled models. It's part of an educational park just like this one called Taman Mini Indonesia Indah in East Jakarta. The park opened in April 1975 as a synopsis of Indonesian culture, with virtually all aspects of daily life in Indonesia's provinces encapsulated in separate pavilions with the pavilions designed in the different styles of the many ethnic groups (rumah adat), clothing, dances and traditions are all depicted impeccably. There is a mosque, Catholic church, Protestant church, a Aliran Kepercayaan temple (native religions), Hindu temple, Buddhist temple, and a Confucian temple to represent the different religions of the country. At the time in April 1975, Indonesia had 26 provinces, so 26 big pavilions were constructed surrounding a lake with the mini-Indonesia in the middle. When Timor Leste was annexed in December 1975, they built a smaller pavilion for it (which is now just the Museum of East Timor after East Timor got its independence in 2002) and as other provinces were created (currently 34), other smaller pavilions were built.

[@user-fg9hs5ue7w]

And this is the location on Google Maps. Area Tmii Jl. Taman Mini Indonesia Indah No.7, Ceger, Kec. Cipayung, Kota Jakarta Timur, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 13820, Indonesië

[@bernard832]

An amusement park made by geography nerds? The perfect place for Tim. I hope you make videos on all of the sites you haven't visited yet.

[@jpaulc441]

I want to see a Vatican City version where the park is actually larger than the country.

[@LucaPasini2]

You can see a reproduction of the Vatican at the similar "Italia in Miniatura" park, located in the suburbs of Rimini. After passing by its entrance hundreds of times (I live just a fey minutes away) I realize only now that it should really be called "Italia e San Marino e Vaticano in Miniatura" instead.

[@thaifoodtakeaway]

@@LucaPasini2 there is also MiniItalia near Bergamo. It was first opened in 1971, and now it is part of a amusement park called Leoandia

[@martinc.720]

@@LucaPasini2 I "think" it was just a joke....

[@firesurfer]

That's called Italy.

[@landsgevaer]

Yeah, with St.Peter in 30:1 scale such that the real St.Peter fits into the model.

[@carfreeneoliberalgeorgisty5102]

Toronto has a museum called Little Canada, which started out as one man's ambition to create an authentic true to scale miniature replica of all of Toronto's neighborhoods & now incorporates other Canadian cities as well. I've never seen a park shaped like a country before though.

[@theotherohlourdespadua1131]

You should look up on Freedomland USA which is shaped like... The US...

[@sadmanh0]

is the one at the corner of dundas and yong? is it any good? Kind of just looked like a weird thing in the basement when I saw the sign.

[@carfreeneoliberalgeorgisty5102]

@@sadmanh0 it's a very interesting exhibit

[@Zachruff]

Ive always seen signs for this and have been meaning to go, is it any good?

[@garrick3727]

In Luxembourg there's a miniature park that's actually bigger than the country itself.

[@tuxlu1761]

Tim never failing to put Kraftwerk's covers as musical puns , these make my days :)

[@counterfit5]

I knew I knew that melody! 🤔

[@demathieuxmerwan9225]

Those to be exact (The model and Tour de France are used in the video)

[@Potsie]

Is the use of Kraftwerk in the soundtrack hommage to historic German 'holidays' in France .. say in 1939?

[@DeGoosey]

So glad to see other Kraftwerk fans here!

[@wellurban]

Could have had some Trans Europe Express as well!

[@audreyb1269]

This parc opened when I was very young, and it's exactly where I learned about canal locks. I'm glad it's still there 30 years later, the miniatures are amazing and it's a delightful visit.

[@erikthehalfabee6234]

So you had the patience. Tim doubted kids would have it

[@automotivetales]

Can we all take a moment to enjoy Tim’s wonderful pronunciations as a none native French speaker and flipping back and forth to his regular way of pronouncing words. I’d end up saying the French words all English or start speaking English while maintaining a French accent if I tried!

[@martinc.720]

You have to tell people what to think after watching a vid? lol I know... a "Can we all take a moment..." comment will get you a bunch of thumbs up. Congrats.

[@automotivetales]

@@martinc.720 I want to tell Tim that I appreciate his work and his efforts yes? Isn’t that what the comments are for? Thats my way of letting Tim know that the effort he’s put in does not go un-noticed. I put massive detailed effort into some of my videos and no one notices and it’s deflating so want to spread positive energy when I notice the little things (although his command of many languages is far from little!)

[@alles_klar]

Gentlemen, you can't comment in here, this is the comment section!

[@apveening]

That is one of the advantages of being fluent in multiple languages and one of the first things you do when learning another language, especially when visiting the country, is to learn to pronounce place names correctly in the local language.

[@phil2544]

@@automotivetales i think the hyphen is not necessary in un-noticed

[@SupremeLeaderKimJong-un]

Myanmar has something similar called the National Landmark Garden in Naypyidaw. It's a 400-acre park in the shape of the country and showcases Myanmar's grandest sites in miniature. There are even some amusement rides like bumper cars and a Ferris wheel. There's an impressive mock-up of all of Naypyidaw, including pagodas, hotels and government buildings (about as close as you'll get to the gated-off epicenter of power). However, all of it has pretty much deteriorated, not all the amusement-park rides are functioning and many of the models are beginning to fall apart, which makes it pretty symbolic of Naypyidaw itself! To describe Naypyidaw, it's like the Tatmadaw (their military) played Cities: Skylines for a few hours and then said "You know, I'm something of a civil engineer myself". Myanmar's capital used to be Yangon, but the military moved it because they wanted a more centrally-located capital. It was felt that a stronger military presence could provide stability to nearby chronically turbulent regions. And this has led to some bizarre urbanism, like a TWENTY-lane highway in front of their legislature so that aircrafts could land in case of protests or other upheavals. There's also no public spaces to prevent protests too. Transit is also limited between neighborhoods, with only rush hour government ministry buses.

[@jernulf268]

Fort Boyard is actually really familiar to me as a Swede because they used to shoot a reality show called Fångarna På Fortet (captives in the fort) there!

[@Rob2]

Yes, I think several countries ran such shows at that location, but usually only one or two seasons, while in France they never get enough of it. Kind of "des Chiffres et des Lettres"...

[@Lostouille]

Yes a lot of countries shot their TV show here.

[@moussesucree]

@@LostouilleSuch a unique location, nowhere there is something comparable.

[@Nimroc]

I wouldn't say "used to", since the swedish version is currently airing it's 24th season. lol

[@moteroargentino7944]

I can imagine this would've been a HUGE attraction back in the time when leisure travelling was not as common. Getting to know your country's landmarks without spending that much time and money. Kinda like Google Maps today.

[@sirBrouwer]

in a lot of places it is still a big attraction.

[@demathieuxmerwan9225]

It’s still very fun. I remember going there as a kid and being amazed at all the reproductions, and especially running after trains. You can see there are people going there on Tim’s video. It’s not Disneyland or Parc Asterix but it’s still a very nice amusement park

[@moteroargentino7944]

@@demathieuxmerwan9225 Of course, it looks like an amazing place to visit! It's just that nowadays it has more competition, if currently is a big attraction, in the past it would've been HUGE.

[@PrincesseKes]

It still is. I bring my nephews every year.

[@charptho]

The reproduction are very cute and beautifully done. Spent a day there and it was great.

[@markstott6689]

I think a trip to the castle being built at Guédelon should be on your list, Tim. I've been following the build online, but in many languages that I don't understand, lol. The fact that skills learned during the build are now being used to rebuild Notre Dame is, to me, at least quite exciting. 😊❤😊

[@stepnow]

I was going to say that he's done it already, but turns out that it was Tom Scott 😅

[@taterkaze9428]

I second this motion.

[@Xiphoseer]

​@@stepnowhaving seen the tom scott video on it and having asked Tim to visit Guédelon before I still think it'd be a better fit for this channel. More focused on the people and why they had this mad plan and how fast/slow it goes.

[@stepnow]

@@Xiphoseer I fully agree

[@tenalafel]

Reaching Guédelon with just public transport is going to be /the/ challenge. Tim prefers sites that doesn't require a car.

[@bobsrailrelics]

This is amazing. The Model, a bit of Rosie and Jim sneaking in. My vote btw is someone just wanted an excuse to build a giant model railway 🚂

[@Tiekorolivier]

No. That is the Swiss Vapeur Park, witch stated as a giant miniature railway and became a mini Swizerland 😁

[@TrippingtheBrightFantastic]

Thank you for mentioning Rosie and Jim. As an American, I have heard that melody before and did not know what it was from.

[@bobsrailrelics]

@@TrippingtheBrightFantastic An integral part of my childrens TV growing up. 😁

[@hotelmario510]

I didn't hear Rosie and Jim. I got "The Model" and "Tour de France" by Kraftwerk.

[@K-o-R]

@@hotelmario510 R&J plays at the canal lock scene, since they live on a canal boat.

[@MrAlsachti]

Now I know why there are always giants around monuments when I travel in France and visit places. I live inside the miniature France!

[@OliveOL_98]

Fun fact, I lived the first 15 years of my life in Élancourt, just one kilometer away from France Miniature, and the road you showed on screen was the one I used countless times to go to school! It’s so nice to see someone covering this park on KZbin, and talking about my good old town ❤ And you wanna know the craziest thing in all of this? I’ve been to France Miniature only once in my entire life. 😂😭

[@Rob2]

Of course the big question is: is there also a miniature version of France Miniature inside that France Miniature parc?

[@thomaspreudhomme9443]

Sadly not, see top comment

[@erpatitube]

Can’t get enough of the background songs and how they tie to the content of the video.😊

[@declanmcardle]

Yes, that tune at the end is kraftily werked into the background....et aussi, it sounds like it's being played on an accordion by someone in a striped black and white t-shirt..

[@haraldhechler3557]

Since 1959 there is a similar (but not Swiss-shaped) park in Switzerland, named Swissminiatur, located in the town of Melide at the lake of Lugano. But it's in 1/25 scale and it has even more trains (about 3.5 km in track length) and cable cars - well, it's Switzerland...

[@dancoroian1]

Man, once you mentioned the landscaping with the mountains and rivers, that just seems really frickin cool and impressive! (and like something EVERY country could and absolutely should do!)

[@cyrilio]

I demand you visit the Dutch miniature called Madurodam. While not an exact copy of The Netherlands it’s a very cool attraction.

[@Aelsenaer]

I love how the French went 2 steps further.

[@otterylexa4499]

I was reminded of the many times we visited Madurodam growing up in the Hague in the 80s.

[@OntarioTrafficMan]

There's also miniworld Rotterdam

[@mikaoleander]

and while you're at it, you might as well pay a visit to miniatur wunderland in hamburg

[@tijmen131]

@@Aelsenaer The French based this off Madurodam actually, Madurodam opened in 1952. It is the oldest miniature of a country in the world.

[@GojiMet86]

But does France Miniature have a mini-France Miniature inside as well? And does that mini-France Miniature have a mini-mini-France-Miniature? And does that mini-mini-France-Miniature have a micro-mini-mini-France-Miniature? And does that micro-mini-mini-France-Miniature have a nano-micro-mini-mini-France-Miniature?......

[@GalootWrangler]

Droste effect France, it must be done!

[@jonasbetzendahl5757]

Fun Mathematics Fact: if you have a smaller map of a larger territory inside the territory (like France Miniature inside France), then under very reasonable assumptions you can mathematically guarantee that there's a point somewhere on the map that is identical to the point in the territory. A point in France Miniature that maps exactly to that same spot in France.

[@adrien5568]

Unfortunately no, Versailles, which is at 10km of it, takes its spot.

[@ZGryphon]

"You're very clever, young man, but it's Frances all the way down."

[@gazzaman28]

Fractal France FTW

[@gevatter1949]

There is something similar near Klagenfurt in Carinthia, Austria. It's called Minimundus. It's not a miniature version of Austria, because Austria is very small already, but is' models of sights from around the world, complete with minature boats and trains and at least 20 years ago, they even had mini Tourmaster buses going round.

[@EcceJack]

Yup, been there.... probably also around 20 years ago 😅

[@MrInsdor]

something like that exists in the city of lichtenstein in saxony as well

[@rustinpieces]

Speaking of giant train sets, all those trains move WAY too fast considering their scale. Very common mistake. Only Miniatur Wunderland do it exactly right IMO. Splendid vid, never knew this existed!

[@zsideswapper6718]

The monuments are purposedly too big in the first place. And the TGV ones maybe aren't "too fast" 🤭

[@rustinpieces]

I was in Madurodam recently, for the first time in decades - just look it up - and wow, their trains are running at "proper" speeds, too. There's even a Thalys-service (Amsterdam-Paris IRL) and yes, those ARE fast. Everything running on functional catenary, as well. @@zsideswapper6718

[@irov5884]

The French trains are the fastest commercial trains in the world (TGV) with a max speed record of 574.8 km/h (~360mph)

[@zsideswapper6718]

@@irov5884 574.8 km/m was only during a test run. The actual commercial speed is up to 320 km/h, with an average of 270 km/h

[@malthuswasright]

Another great video, Rosie and Jim and Kraftwerk Tour de France (as well as The Model of course). Lovely stuff.

[@stefansauvageonwhat-a-twis1369]

I remember seeing adds for this in the Paris subway, now I guess Ill finally get to see what its all about lol post video: Ok, now I have seen, lots of cool stuff I didnt even know about, I kind wanna go there now

[@NTLyesYT]

Just wanted to quickly thank you for putting the wheelchair accessibility info ! Although I'm no longer in a wheelchair, I actually once went to France Miniature in a wheelchair because of an illness I had. Listening to the wheelchair info was pretty weird for me this time :P ! It has some rough mountainous slopes, and IIRC, there is a little section which is not accessible by wheelchair, but, otherwise it's a very cool park to go to by wheelchair !

[@JHaven-lg7lj]

One of the things I love about this channel, definitely

[@galactica604]

"although im no longer in a wheelchair" bro is Johnny Joestar 💀

[@chazzyb8660]

You've just reminded my of why I got so annoyed in Orléans, where I found the cathedral shut. On a Sunday morning! On asking why it wasn't open I was met with a shrug, and the reply, "Well it's a Sunday". I've never quite got to the bottom of that one. Otherwise brilliant!

[@j_taylor]

Haha! That sounds like a perfectly Gallic explanation.

[@DanielThirion]

OMG! How did I not know of the existence of that. I love how you switched to a piano theme of Fort Boyard during that section 😁

[@pigrulo3364]

Finally, a place on this channel I visited! I grew up a few kilometres from there, I visited this place a couple of times as a child.

[@HenrysAdventures]

This is fantastic! As someone who has been involved with Bekonscot Model Village in England for 18 years I always love to see another Model Village. I'll definitely endeavour to visit this one. Love their Model Railway with The Cassandra Crossing viaduct!

[@stekikun6854]

A couple years back when my son was 6 I took him to an actual lock on the Marne river to show him how locks work... well, it went exactly as you described X)

[@renerpho]

When my younger brother was about 10, and a huge football fan, we took him on a trip. We told him we were going to watch some ships pass through a lock. He was bored before we even left the house. His excitement only grew when he realised that we were entering the car park at the football stadium, and when he found out we had actually taken him to watch his favourite club's public training session.

[@Sim0nTrains]

My money is on building a giant train set! But a lovely mini tour of France Miniature

[@pontiuspilates]

Arc-et-Senans salt mines - one of the first modern factory towns in the world built in the 1700s. Learnt about this during my uni years. Such an interesting place.

[@soly-dp-colo6388]

It's a gorgeous place.

[@TheEstampe]

At 1:20 in case you don't know it.

[@denisvermeirre1024]

Tim, once again, you've been very clever. "Das Model" is both a personal favorite and such an appropriate musical accompaniment. Well done!

[@lucienmeunier2270]

We used to go there with the "centre de loisirs" (which is kind of a summer activity centre, I guess)! If you want to see more stunning models while staying in Paris, you should try the Musée des Plans-Reliefs in the Hôtel des Invalides. They have a recreation of the Mont Saint Michel as well

[@Eccoriens80]

Oui, les Plans Reliefs, ça vaut véritablement le voyage !!! j'y suis allé il y a quelques mois, c'est le "Google Earth" en réalité ... réelle !

[@loveyourword]

France really is a particulary diverse and beautiful place. Thanks for the video! Now I want to go again 🙂

[@unpseudopascommelesautres997]

So true. Diverse landscape from the south to north ! Heavy rain in Britanny and sunshine in the south !

[@exvagoergosum]

@@unpseudopascommelesautres997 Apprends à écrire Brittany en anglais d'abord, et ensuite remballe tes clichés de parisien. En Bretagne, la pluie ne mouille que les cons, j'espère que t'as un sèche-linge...

[@user-bx1mf3zb8y]

It is one of the only country I know where people in north cook with butter and south with olive oil and both are masters

[@imbsbnfb]

I live in Versailles near Paris, and I have to say that it is actually really cool to be able to find nearly any kind of nature at maximum 8 hours of car in my own country ! France is really cool for that, and for the diversity given by our neighbor Germans, Brits, Spanish, Swedish and the Belgians, as soon as we get closer to one of these countries, it is felt in the local culture, which is why there is so much cultural and culinary diversity in France. But one of my biggest dream still is to visit USA i'd looove to go to Yosemite park. Anyway have a good day !

[@stefansauvageonwhat-a-twis1369]

They always make the Fort Boyard look so far from any land on TV but its just off the coast lol

[@LuPoj]

Hats off to Tim for the soundtrack choice! Kraftwerk's Das Model and Tour de France put a smile on my face every time I hear them.

[@themetalslayer2260]

strange! i'm french and i didn't know this park but i know other parks that Tim can be interested to visit (an early 1900's village in Dordogne named Le Bournat, a antique gallic village named Coriobonna, and a medieval castle still being buold nowadays called Guédelon and in all of these places people are dressed with time accurate clothes)

[@Zarkovision]

Very pretty! There is also an "Italia in Miniatura" near Rimini and Madurodam, a mini-Holland near The Hague.

[@apveening]

Yup, the latter being the inspiration for all the others.

[@kwarts]

​@@apveeningMadurodam was inspired on Beconscot 😊, including the charity objectives.

[@whytecold]

There is a Suisse Miniature near Lugano.

[@LucaPasini2]

Italia in Miniatura is just a few minutes away from where I live, I've been there many times as a child. It even has the same kind of model railways running across the "country", but with Frecciarossa trainsets. Besides the miniatures there are also other attractions, such as a larger scale recreation of Venice that you see from small guided boats and some roller coasters. And there's also a similar theme park in Switzerland, it's called Swissminiatur and it's located near Lugano.

[@frontenac5083]

No freaking way! If only someone had told us this before in the comments!

[@TrevorMoses312]

4:00 "The beautiful island of Corsica is represented by a lump of mud in a pond": ouchies 😳😆😆 5:26 "Catch a #420 bus in the direction of well.........never mind" 😂😂😂😂

[@FAB1150]

Hey, I remember visiting the Italian equivalent of this when I was a kid! No idea where it is or of it's still operating though Edit, it is, it's in Rimini! Apparently you can get on a small boat in mini-venice too

[@urbanfile3861]

There is even another near Bergamo

[@unpseudopascommelesautres997]

Mais mdrrr. C'est génial ! Je n'étais même pas au courant d'une telle chose c'est merveilleux. Vive notre France ! 🇫🇷

[@albevanhanoy]

I am French and I never heard about this. I LOVE IT.

[@piuthemagicman]

In Finland we have a Finland shaped lake called Neitokainen at Kittilä, Lapland. The lake was the idea of a local travel business owner Esko Sääskilahti in 1991. Today the lake is popular for taking cool drone shots from above :)

[@Rob2]

So that lake is not natural but it was dug by humans? Are we on something, what about the other 1000 lakes?

[@piuthemagicman]

@@Rob2 It's man made, we didn't have a natural miniature lake Finland ☹️

[@Rob2]

@@piuthemagicman Ok but (most of) the other 1000 (or many more) lakes at least are natural? Or are you Finns like us Dutch, and shaping the entire country to your liking?

[@KalleKilponen]

​@@Rob2 Out of the around 168 000 lakes in Finland, some 50 are manmade.

[@jaakkoiswatching6437]

That Finland shaped lake was supposed to become a huge tourist attraction and make money. The tourists and money part didn't happen.

[@alloallie]

Hi, Tim ! I think the Philippines used to have a mini-Philippines amusement park too (called Nayong Pilipino). The original one closed for a while because the airport needed a new terminal, and there's apparently a new version outside Manila. Not sure if it's still open, though.

[@AidanEyewitness]

Very nice! Reminds me of Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg, smaller scale, indoors, very big!

[@marcbeebe]

Much easier way to tour the country than schlepping all around the real thing! 😁 Now if we did that in Canada you'd still have to traverse 100 kms!

[@formallyvalidusername5262]

Fantastic musical choices as per usual.

[@patanouketgersiflet9486]

I thought La Marseillaise was on point.

[@zJoriz]

That TGV in the outro was one of the few trains shown that carried any kind of realistic speed. ..

[@EladLerner]

What about French Guiana, and all the other territories? If they were REAL geography nerds they would have bought land around the park at the correct scale and made them part of the experience.

[@TheTimTraveller]

They actually have a model of the Ariane launchpad in French Guiana! It's on the other side of the "Atlantic" from La Rochelle. The other territories, however, get nothing more than information panels...

[@Eppu_Paranormaali]

Some say there's an upside down model of Tahiti in the sewers under the Miniature France...

[@renerpho]

@@TheTimTraveller That is actually quite impressive.

[@comentedonakeyboard]

Well the distances would have to be up to scale, so the Kergueles Islands would be en Algerie

[@JeanAnonymous]

As a French i can say that nobody cares about the other territories.

[@danielstrandby3678]

Bus 420 to Pissaloup is iconic

[@stephenhartley375]

“... before catching the 420 bus in the direction of... well, never mind!” Tim’s scriptwriting up to its usual high standard! 👍🏻

[@metropod]

We don’t have the entire USA in miniature, but one of the only remaining attractions from the 1964 New York World’s Fair still in it’s original location is the “Panorama of the City of New York” a 9,335-square-foot (867.2 m2) 1:1200 scale model of the city. It’s basically prerequisite that kids in Queens in fourth grade (about 10 years old) go there on a field trip (that’s usually the year when social studies class focuses on local history)

[@andyjay729]

The last time I visited NYC (which was in the spring of 2019, so I guess I timed it somewhat well) I made a point of seeing that.

[@theotherohlourdespadua1131]

There used to he a miniature of the US back in the 1960's. It's called "Freedomland USA" and was built in the Bronx...

[@AndrewAMartin]

There was a place called Roadside America along I-78 about halfway between Allentown and Harrisburg in a little PA Dutch town called Shartlesville. It was a huge indoor model railroad. I passed it many times in the 30-odd years I've lived in PA, but never went inside. Sadly, it was closed recently and the building sold, and I believe there was a model railroad club trying to save the layout...

[@metropod]

@@AndrewAMartin I went there once, it was basically a very large free style Lionel layout. Not really a scale model of anything.

[@AndrewAMartin]

@@metropod Thanks for the info. Mobile Instinct here on KZbin visited a huge layout in NJ, but it was also not a model of anywhere in particular IIRC.

[@ElDJReturn]

Me, an American, realizing Miniature is obviously a French word and that in the first minute of a Tim Traveller I've learned something that Tim never intended me to feels great. Me learning I can take bus #420 to a miniature France in France is just a bonus.

[@ifitrollsrideit530]

The use Kraftwerk covers The Model and Tour de France as background music are SO satisfying. This does not go unnoticed!

[@TheHylianBatman]

I think every country ought to have one of those! That's really cool!

[@urbanfile3861]

Many countries have it, actually

[@AixlaachenPax1801]

Only France have such a parc that represent the country geography with precise topology too and others countries obviously don't have much to fill compared to France.@@urbanfile3861

[@Rihnoswirl]

I have never paid attention to a tv during my visits to France, but here in Sweden we *also* have a long-running tv show filmed at Fort Boyard, so seeing it was definitely a moment of instant recognition.

[@LeafHuntress]

Same in the Netherlands.

[@Clery75019]

Fort Boyard was initially a French tv show that ultimately got exported in no less than 35 countries (including Morocco, Russia, South Korea and China). Yet Sweden is somehow special as it's the country where it's been broadcasted the longest after France.

[@frogmantoad8110]

This is a mini Bulgaria in Tornova. It’s pretty fun to walk through.

[@Nuggets2]

I am French 🇫🇷 and I am really happy to see that you love our culture🥖, monuments 🏰 ...

[@ndeso_yo_ben]

There's also a miniature Indonesia inside Indonesia called Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (lit. "Beautiful Indonesia Miniature Park"), but sadly the currently viewable aerial imagery on Google Maps is from when it was under renovation last year. It's not as elaborate as this, though.

[@apveening]

And there is a Mini Siam in Thailand.

[@theotherohlourdespadua1131]

At least that park has a "Children's Castle" that would make any Disney Park blush due to its size...

[@shodan2958]

As someone who hasn't visited France since at least 2007, this sounds like a place to go to get ideas in a very fun way about where to go in France if your visiting Paris (Which I'm planning to do). Especially since I want to have a ride on their TGV network.

[@GeneraleRus]

Very cool! We have a similar "miniature" in Italy too, near Rimini, in Emilia-Romagna

[@falsemcnuggethope]

Gotta love the outstandingly accurate realism with the sea monsters.

[@doxielain2231]

Gosh, I've never been a first viewer before. Also, neat place! Not that it matters in any way at all. Being first, not the place. Also, the mini place needs a rampaging goose.

[@stefansauvageonwhat-a-twis1369]

lol congrats

[@soly-dp-colo6388]

Très bonne idée d'activité avec les enfants. Merci, Tim !

[@psirvent8]

Tiens un français ! Au moins je suis pas le seul...

[@soly-dp-colo6388]

@@psirvent8 Une Française, oui 😊 J'adore les vidéos de Tim. Elles sont toujours intéressantes.

[@Romain_Chap]

I grew up in the suburb of Elancourt, nice to see you talk about our small amusement park France Miniature !

[@DannyMNL]

The Netherlands has a similar park called Madurodam, which opened 39 years earlier. The park is not shaped like the country, but the miniatures look just as nice, if not better in some cases. Might be worth a visit if you're into this sort of thing!

[@mrschimmel]

We have something similar in the Netherlands called Madurodam. A bit more well known, though

[@TrabberShir]

Well, that is two places on the list for my next long stay in Europe.

[@flp322]

Tragically, it’s not in the shape of the Netherlands :(

[@Rob2]

@@flp322 That would be difficult, as the shape of the Netherlands changes all the time 😃

[@DavidBeddard]

Thanks Tim, I wish I'd known about this place when I had family in Paris! I grew up close to Beaconsfield in Buckinghamshire, UK, which is home to Beckonscot Model Village, one of my favourite places in all of time and space. MiniEurope in Brussels is also pretty cool.

[@Amaury29]

Fun Fact: in brussels just next to the atomium there is a park like this but for all of europe called: mini europe. Personally as a French i visited both France miniature and Mini Europe and it's really cool!

[@johnstevenson1709]

The fact rose and jim starts to play when tim opens the lock is precisely why i keep coming back

[@LaHypeDuTrain]

One of my best childhood memories on one of my favourite KZbin channels, what a great day to be alive ❤

[@joshuasims5421]

How delightful! Any chance we can see Carcassonne or more of the south of France on the channel? I've always wanted to visit myself.

[@renerpho]

I'd love to see more of that pile of mud called "Corsica".

[@carlosfurukawa6133]

“And take a bus in direction of.. well, never mind!” 😂

[@respie1751]

There is a mini Italy inside a lunapark called Leolandia, it's near Bergamo. The cool thing about it is that fact that there are some interactable statues that explains how they were.

[@user-hs8yi8mj4s]

Trop bien ! Je ne connaissais pas. Merci pour cet épisode, vraiment.

[@sschmidtevalue]

We visited Mini-Europe near the Atomium in Brussels in 2002. Is it still there? If so, you should give that a go!

[@Amaury29]

I was there last year! So yes it's still there!

[@BeerMatt96]

Me, a cycling fan: "Ahh, Kraftwerk's The Model - top choice! Now, what's that VERY FAMILIAR 80s tune being played on the piano, while he does his tour of (Mini) France...? I just can't think what it is..." (repeat for the duration of your tour of France, before the centime finally drops). Chapeau, Sir, for double Kraftwerk!

[@Tzoreol]

There is the same spirit with the Loire Valley Castle near Amboise called "Le parc de mini châteaux"

[@seancannon7718]

I love miniature attractions like this, and it looks like this is near where I'll be staying to see the Olympics next year, so will definitely try and go! You should check out Mini-Europe in Brussels if you want to see the next level up!

[@Diegomax22]

Hope you enjoyed your trip in our beautiful country, Tim!

[@nzd3742]

Pretty sure he lives there anyway (France, that is, not the miniature version of it).

[@CptJistuce]

​@@nzd3742It'd be kind of amazing if he lived in the miniature version of it.

[@jypeps]

I live in Rambouillet and let me tell you that this park is one of my best childhood memories! There also is a small area when children can play so it was the perfect place for sunday afternoon fun.

[@pierrejeanson7014]

Thank you for sharing it! 😊 Although I'm French, I had never heard about France Miniature. It could be very interesting to visit it with children, to make them discover the richness of their country.

[@garrick3727]

That's very impressive. Instantly greatly multiplied the number of places in France I'd like to go to. Particularly Carcassonne. That's a real town? I'm from York in the UK and it makes York look like a walled beer garden (which it basically is). If that's a real place, I'm amazed I've never even heard of it. Definitely high on my list of places to visit.

[@tonysimister4825]

Carcassonne is way cool Well worth a visit.

[@renerpho]

Carcassonne from above really looks like a fantasy town.

[@tixien]

Carcassonne is definitely a real town😂 Most of the time, they’re busy waging wars on Toulouse and Castelnaudary - and vice versa - about who invented cassoulet first. Hence the double-fortified wall😂

[@kelvinp.coleman563]

I'm amazed you've never heard of it if you're from York, because I'm from just down the road in Nottingham and it's one of THE destinations of note, after Paris. Although that might only be because there are direct flights from East Midlands Airport.

[@sianwarwick633]

It's beautiful. Go.

[@kazmumtaz2184]

There's a similar thing in Indonesia. "Taman Mini Indonesia" or "Mini Indonesia Park" is this big sort of theme park, there's a giant lake in the middle with a bunch of islands recreating the entire Indonesian archipelago, and there are 30+ pavilions around the rest of the park for each of the country's provinces with traditional houses and other cultural stuff on display and shown there

[@nadinel5635]

In Austria, there is such a miniature park with national and international miniatures (and trains) called „Minimundus“!

[@zagreus101]

The music at the end, absolute new romantic classic

[@jarivanv]

If these kinds of Parcs are interesting for a video, you might want to check out Mini Europe in Brussels (right next to one of the most impressive monuments on the continent in my opinion, the Atomium). Although not geographically accurate, the models are all very impressive and it might close for good in a few years so now's the time to visit!

[@ericschout8058]

I've been there, also been in Madurodam (The Hague, The Netherlands) and Italia in Miniatura (Rimini, Italy). Madurodam was the best in my opinion.

[@martinc.720]

Yay!!

[@LucaPasini2]

I live really close to Italia in Miniatura, so I've seen it many times, I really loved the model trains when I was a child! Besides the miniatures, unlike its French counterpart, it also has other attractions, such as a few roller coasters and a replica of Venice. It also used to have a nice monorail loop, but it has been recently dismantled.

[@Kasaye1]

I don't know why i'm here, but i'm very happy, i used to go there a bunch when i was a kid because my brother would do rugby near it, so i'd wait with my mom at that park during his practice. Thanks for the memories !!

[@_yerf]

Absolutely adore the Kraftwerk themes in the background

[@emmanuelc.8694]

I went there a few times as a kid, fun seeing it there!

[@theotherohlourdespadua1131]

Okay... I am greatly inspired by this video. At last, my dream of making a miniature copy of my country inside my country is a legitimate thing! I am greatly inspired by it. Edit: does France Miniature have a miniature of France Miniature near Paris*?

[@adrien5568]

Unfortunately no, Versailles, which is at 10km of it, takes its spot.

[@ElectariumTunic]

2:58 - As a Swede, I recognise Fort Boyard too. It is television history.

[@abdaroth]

I went there with my classmates like 20 years ago. Always thought it was near Orléans I never realized we drove all this way from Blois. I have an amazing souvenir and never found this place again, thank's for the video it brings me many memories

[@thesteelrodent1796]

This is a really nice big little park, so much nicer than Mini France, which I honestly don't know if still exist; we were last there in 1987. And not sure if that was the actual name in French, just remember we happened upon it in the guidebook one time we flipped through it during a lunch stop, but we were promptly disappointed once we went there - a few sad model buildings in bit of grass, and not much else (that I remember, anyway. I was 11 and couldn't care less back then). But might be something for Tim to investigate And while we're on model parks in parks: In Knuthenborg park in southern Denmark, they have a model of Lolland (the island they're on) and surrounding islands. Along with model steam trains you can ride, which are a totally different scale than the model island

[@MrCimryadeal]

I think it's the same one. Went there around 1990/91. It's just that it evolved with time!

[@JeffreyJakucyk]

But Tim, did you climb the highest mountain in Miniature France?

[@bobbyb9258]

2:59 I love the piano version of the Fort Boyard intro.

[@K-o-R]

1:02 _L'Attaque des Titans!_